Method and Apparatus for Managing Uplink Time Alignment

1. A method of managing uplink time alignment in a wireless communication system, performed by a user equipment, the method comprising: transmitting a random access preamble to maintain an uplink time alignment to a base station; and receiving a random access response in response to the random access preamble from the base station, wherein the random access preamble is a dedicated random access preamble used by the base station to determine whether to maintain the uplink time alignment, wherein the random access preamble is transmitted while a prohibition timer is not running, and wherein the prohibition timer is used to indicate a specific time period for prohibiting a triggering of a random access procedure to maintain the uplink time alignment.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: starting a time alignment timer which is used to control how long the user equipment is considered uplink time aligned.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the random access preamble is transmitted while the time alignment timer is running.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: applying a timing advance command included in the random access response; and restarting the time alignment timer upon receiving the random access response.

5. A user equipment for managing uplink time alignment in a wireless communication system, the user equipment comprising: a radio frequency unit configured to receive a radio signal; and a processor, operatively coupled with the radio frequency unit and configured to: transmit a random access preamble to maintain an uplink time alignment to a base station; and receive a random access response in response to the random access preamble from the base station, wherein the random access preamble is a dedicated random access preamble used by the base station to determine whether to maintain the uplink time alignment, wherein the random access preamble is transmitted while a prohibition timer is not running, and wherein the prohibition timer is used to indicate a specific time period for prohibiting a triggering of a random access procedure to maintain the uplink time alignment.

6. The user equipment of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to start a time alignment timer which is used to control how long the user equipment is considered uplink time aligned.

7. The user equipment of claim 6 , wherein the random access preamble is transmitted while the time alignment timer is running.

8. The user equipment of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to: apply a timing advance command included in the random access response; and restart the time alignment timer upon receiving the random access response.